Framing Nordic public service media: Comparing policy discourses in Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark
JOURNAL
Framing Nordic public service media: Comparing policy discourses in Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark
John Grönvall and Kari Karppinen | European Journal of Communication
This article surveys the public service media (PSM) landscape of the four Scandinavian countries over the last 10 years to determine the ways in which the role of PSM have changed. The authors found clear national differences in the roles of PSM within each country, although they shared common problems, such as competition from private media companies, rising disinformation via social media and an increased difficulty in reaching younger audiences. However, Nordic PSM were most affected by expanded political polarization, with populist leaders advocating against the need for a well-supported public media apparatus and questioning their worth for society.
How public service media are changing in the platform era: A comparative study across four European countries
JOURNAL
How public service media are changing in the platform era: A comparative study across four European countries
Marius Dragomir & Miguel Túñez López | European Journal of Communication
2024
The platformisation of the public sphere has profoundly reshaped the media landscape, exerting particular pressure on public service media (PSM).
The imperative to uphold PSM’s core values—universality, independence, excellence, diversity, accountability, and innovation—has become increasingly complex amid the shift to digital ecosystems. These principles, essential to PSM’s role in democratic societies, now face additional strains as digital platforms alter traditional models of content distribution and audience engagement.
This article seeks to examine the evolution of PSM in response to these pressures in four European countries: Austria, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
Conformity of public policy and citizens’ attitudes towards the public service media
JOURNAL
Conformity of public policy and citizens’ attitudes towards the public service media
Deimantas Jastramskis | European Journal of Communication
2024
This study takes a look at the structure of public service media (PSM) – ownership, management, funding and accountability – and how it matches with the involvement and perception of citizens on public media. The authors focus on the Lithuanian PSM, LRT, as one of the public media organisations in Europe which has the best conditions for editorial independence. This research shows that there is a disparity between what public policy is aiming for and what citizens want. This study also unveils the fact people want more influence in PSM management and for PSM organisation to be more accountable to society
A public value typology for public service broadcasting in the UK
JOURNAL
A public value typology for public service broadcasting in the UK
Tom Chivers, Stuart Allan | Cultural Trends
2024
The role and importance of public service broadcasting (PSB) are being questioned in today’s digital society. Through the lenses of six values – social, cultural, economic, industrial, representational and civic – this research looks at how PSM create different forms of public value that benefit the audience, policymakers and the creative industry.
It examines the challenges and opportunities for maintaining these values and offers a framework to guide future cultural and media policy discussions about PSB in the UK and beyond.
Funding Democracy: Public Media and Democratic Health in 33 Countries
REPORT
Funding Democracy: Public Media and Democratic Health in 33 Countries
Timothy Neff, Viktor Pickard | The International Journal of Press/Politics
2024
This study explores the relationship between public service media (PSM) systems and the strength of democracy. The authors focused on 33 countries around the world and identified different models of public service media, creating a spectrum ranging from systems with low independence from the state to PSM with strong and secure funding models and a high degree of independence. This research shows the existing correlation between healthy democracies and public media systems which boast high levels of secure funding and strong structural protections for their political and economic independence.
Democracy and Public Service Broadcasting
REPORT
Democracy and Public Service Broadcasting
European Broadcasting Union
2023
In a world with increasing challenges to democracy and a market-driven landscape, public service broadcasters are increasingly being asked to justify their value to society.
But how can public service media’s role as a reliable and stable source of information that plays a vital role in a healthy democracy be measured? This report from the EBU attempts to answer this question and offer broadcasters a way to respond to challenges.
Business models and sustainability in the newspaper industry
JOURNAL
Business models and sustainability in the newspaper industry: Perspectives from European and North American executives
Paulo Faustino | Journal of Digital Media & Policy
2023
The digital revolution has created significant challenges to the viability of media economic models while also broadening prospects for editorial organisations and journalists. This article seeks to comprehend the viability of media business models and how media executives modify their practises to deal with digital change in a competitive market. For this article, media executives from three US newspapers (from the United States of America and Canada) and three European newspapers (from Ireland, England, and France) were interviewed. All of the newspaper firms interviewed continue to face substantial problems in their search for ways to ensure the sustainability of their business models in order to motivate their partners, shareholders, and employees while also contributing to more diversity in the information market.
How Business Can Support a Healthy Infosphere
REPORT
Investing in Facts: How the Business Community Can Support a Healthy Infosphere
Marius Dragomir | CIMA
2023
The report emphasises the relationship between the private sector and independent media and why the private sector should care about independent media. It studies three countries’ – Czechia, Romania, and Serbia – media and business sectors, and examines how efforts have been made to counter disinformation and boost independent media. The business community in all these three regions has different reasons for supporting independent media but all of them have realised that a healthy business environment can only thrive if the community is well informed. In addition, the report highlights limitations experienced by the business sector, lack of financial resources, and absence of communication between independent journalism and the private sector.
Public Service Media and Public Funding
JOURNAL
Public service media and public funding: A three-country study of willingness to pay versus perceived dispensability
Annika Sehl | European Journal of Communication
2023
This study analyses results based on an online survey in France, Germany, and the UK in regards to public service media funding. The study explores the respondents’ “willingness to pay” for PSM versus the opinion that PSM is dispensable. The study finds that although most doubted PSM’s dispensability, they also believed that if the licence was determined by them, they would pay a much smaller amount. Therefore, the study concludes it is important to understand the factors that may impede people’ willingness to pay.
Are public service media distinctive from the market?
JOURNAL
Are public service media distinctive from the market? Interpreting the political information environments of BBC and commercial news in the United Kingdom
Stephen Cushion | European Journal of Communication
2022
With many citizens having access to a variety of media, this paper questions whether public service provides a distinctive and informative news service compared to private media? It found that BBC news and commercial public service platforms mainly covered politics, public affairs and international issues, plus BBC news online covered more informative topics than the market-based media which reported more on celebrity and entertainment news. In addition, where public service media reported with a world view perspective, market-driven media reported news with a UK perspective.